Two Poems by Michael Ashley‏

If I Knew

I'd have taken the noise

placed it in a bottle
forced the cork in

her orgasm
was raspy

her voice
a little too deep
for a true lady

but none of that
matters today

the hum
of the mourners
fills the church

I mumble along
to Jerusalem

I'm falling

landing on my couch
with a glass of brandy

people talking
at me, wearing tears
dribbling cliches

I can still see her face
smell her hair

& her voice
roves my skull

like the fragments
of hymns

in an atrium



Turn Away

when she yells
your name
hot step it
out the door
as she holds
the empty
pint glass
up to the moon
& blows
a stream
of smoke
from the 'O'
of her dark
red lips
don't argue
when the blade
of her glare
strikes your face
don't move
when her irises
shudder
a shower
of bright
crystal blue
don't ruin
it now boy!

Fuck Moderation by Paul Hellweg‏

Untimely death acceptable,
but only with a large side of
raw, edgy poetry.
Medium thin-crust pizza delivered too fast,
garlic and veggies,
mushroom, onion, green pepper.
Not enough minutes elapsed
from last drink
for synapses to fire and
write something memorable.
Next time, no hurry,
fuck the veggies,
fuck thin-crust,
large pepperoni pizza for me.
Damn the cholesterol, full speed ahead,
extra cheese, extra pepperoni,
no limit on beer and Scotch.
Anything.  Whatever it takes
for a few moments pain free or
the writing of one poem
good enough to justify
this existence.

From The Forest by Donal Mahoney

In another moment
it will all be over.
On this winter night
her breast will slip
from her blouse
like a fawn, in spring,
from the forest.